Various materials form the backbone of book production, and at Bonnier Books, we are committed to sourcing and using materials in line with defined environmental and social standards, including certified sourcing, supplier requirements, and traceability measures.
Sourcing responsibly means ensuring that paper comes from FSC- or PEFC-certified or controlled forests, avoiding high-conservation value areas, and implementing measures to reduce deforestation risks, including traceability systems.
We prioritise materials that minimise environmental and climate impacts. By selecting low-emission papers and working with manufacturers who actively reduce their carbon footprint, we’ve made significant strides in decreasing Scope 3 emissions, which account for most of our footprint.
Circularity and innovation are important to our material strategy. By designing products with recyclability in mind and eliminating harmful additives, we aim to create books that align with circular economy principles.
What does low-emitting paper mean?
The production of paper can cause high greenhouse gas emissions. Simply put, the energy source used by the paper mill is extremely important, as paper production consumes a lot of energy. Mills that use energy from renewable sources or biomass residues and source raw materials from nearby forests are better positioned to produce paper with lower greenhouse gas emissions.
What are the benefits of FSC or PEFC?
These certifications are similar but not identical. They go beyond tracking wood from forests to final products and set requirements for forest management, including biodiversity protection, reduced deforestation risk, and social standards such as compliance with labour laws, worker safety, and respect for workers’ rights.
What are we doing on circularity?
To address this, we are experimenting with reducing reliance on tree-based materials and increasing circularity in book production. In collaboration with Lessebo Paper and Livonia Print, we launched a groundbreaking recycled book paper in 2024. This paper is made from unprinted recovered paper sourced from our printers, avoids de-inking chemicals and meets stringent requirements for children’s books. It also boasts an exceptionally low greenhouse gas footprint. This innovation demonstrates that circularity and sustainability in book production are achievable.